Urinating Tory candidate dropped as official federal election campaigns rumble to life

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OTTAWA — The federal Conservatives suffered an embarrassment Monday as a Toronto area candidate was dropped after reportedly being caught on camera urinating into a coffee cup while he was an appliance repairman.

The uproar over Jerry Bance, who had been running in Scarborough Rouge Park, came as Prime Minister Stephen Harper campaigned in Greater Toronto Area, where the three major parties have often battled since the election was called on Aug. 2.

Bance's departure from the Conservative slate was announced as the campaign is set to kick into high gear following Labour Day, and one day after the CBC reported its hidden cameras on the show Marketplace caught Bance doing the act while he was on a service call in 2012.

Video from the program shows Bance pouring the urine down the sink, then rinsing out the cup, all while the homeowner was in the next room.

NDP Leader Tom Mulcair cracked a joke in response, saying Bance must be in favour of Harper's "trickle down" economics.

The 11 week election campaign is nearing the half way point and the federal Liberals marked it by officially unveiling their campaign plane on Monday.